If you are ever in Rockford IL, be sure to check out a Beef-A-Roo. It's fast food, but with more variety and quality. They are a chain, but I think just in Rockford at this point. (or Stonechevy if you prefer)
Portillos is also spreading from IL to other places. Finally those who have left Chicagoland can get a proper Italian Beef, or Chicago dog. Their burgers are good too, but Portillos is more of a sit down and eat joint, rather than a drive-through burger place.
I'm a fan of Culver's as they combine the cleanliness and friendly atmosphere of an In & Out with better food and more variety. They started in Wisconsin, but have expanded to IL, and we have a few now in Florida---- as we have so many Midwestern refugees. (especially in the Winter)
mtn
MegaDork
6/13/18 10:28 a.m.
JG Pasterjak said:
Appleseed said:
Culver's at the top? Really? The best they ever gave me was"...Ok." I was never wowed by them to the point that the burger was a destination. But my pallette is tempered by my cheapness aND lack of money. I will eat the E36 M3 out of Steak n Shake's 2 for $3 promotion. I can get 4 Southwest burgers for less than a Culver's meal.
Remember my mantra of lower your standards.
See, to me, Culver's is the promise of Steak & Shake fulfilled. S&S is pretty solid, but Culver's seems like they take the same style of burger and just make it... I dunno, better? A little more thickness to the patty, but still the smashburger style burnt edges. Nice soft bun, but that retains some structure.
I agree. They're both good (although S&S has horrible fries, but... breakfeast!), but Culvers is just better. I've never been disappointed in a meal at Culvers.
captdownshift said:
Paper Moon in Baltimore is solid, the neighborhood of Remington is full of amazing places to eat, it's quietly one of my favorite areas in the city.
When I was LE we often ate where we got the biggest discount, or where the portions we're the biggest, firefighters are the ones who know where the good food is.
To you and ApexCarver.....just make sure you don't ever come to Richmond, VA and get excited when you drive past one of our Paper Moons. They have a buffet. And breasts and thighs. And are probably full of regrets. But they aren't diners. :)
Furious_E said:
In reply to nderwater :
The problem isn't an informal menu, at my buddy's rehearsal dinner the week prior we just ordered pizzas and stuff from the local Italian joint and it was great. The problem is that it's Red Robin. I share the Captain's disdain for their crappy burgers.
Edit: And I'll add that some of the best food I've had at weddings has been BBQ.
I like RR's Buffalo chicken tenders. We don't go often due to the cost but the food is not that bad.
Beef-a-Roo will blow your mind.
Anyone traveling to the northwest burbs of Chicago, stop in Cary and go to "The Tracks " 20-30 different burgers. Fries and a drink for about $8. Absolutely, totally worth the price.
stylngle2003 said:
captdownshift said:
Paper Moon in Baltimore is solid, the neighborhood of Remington is full of amazing places to eat, it's quietly one of my favorite areas in the city.
When I was LE we often ate where we got the biggest discount, or where the portions we're the biggest, firefighters are the ones who know where the good food is.
To you and ApexCarver.....just make sure you don't ever come to Richmond, VA and get excited when you drive past one of our Paper Moons. They have a buffet. And breasts and thighs. And are probably full of regrets. But they aren't diners. :)
LOL.
I didn't know they had more than one location?
Duke
MegaDork
6/13/18 11:20 a.m.
1988RedT2 said:
stylngle2003 said:
captdownshift said:
Paper Moon in Baltimore is solid, the neighborhood of Remington is full of amazing places to eat, it's quietly one of my favorite areas in the city.
When I was LE we often ate where we got the biggest discount, or where the portions we're the biggest, firefighters are the ones who know where the good food is.
To you and ApexCarver.....just make sure you don't ever come to Richmond, VA and get excited when you drive past one of our Paper Moons. They have a buffet. And breasts and thighs. And are probably full of regrets. But they aren't diners. :)
LOL.
I didn't know they had more than one location?
If I'm reading the Captain right, he's not talking about the feathered kind of chicken. So I doubt the establishments are related to the Baltimore restaurant.
Appleseed said:
Beef-a-Roo will blow your mind.
Anyone traveling to the northwest burbs of Chicago, stop in Cary and go to "The Tracks " 20-30 different burgers. Fries and a drink for about $8. Absolutely, totally worth the price.
Ha! The Tracks is less than a mile from a bar we used to own called Cary Indoor Golf. It was open from 91-98 or so. I think the building is a Dollar General now. +1 on the Tracks burgers-- they are good!
Lets get it out of the way first, yeah, McDonalds food will kill you so lets not argue that but...
Recently, I downloaded the McDonalds App for self ordering and I gotta tell ya, the Deals they have on the app are exceptional.
Samples have include:
- Any Breakfast Sandwich for $1. That will get you the $5+ item for $1
- Any Sandwich for $1
- BOGO Quarter LB'er
- Free Large Fry with any purchase of $1 or more
- etc
- There are also some "menu" items in the app that are not on the menu board. As an example, the basic hamburger is $1 and if you were to add just another patty it would be a $1 more. Some locations have a n option on the app for a double hamburger for $1.30
mtn
MegaDork
6/13/18 1:20 p.m.
Joe Gearin said:
If you are ever in Rockford IL, be sure to check out a Beef-A-Roo. It's fast food, but with more variety and quality. They are a chain, but I think just in Rockford at this point. (or Stonechevy if you prefer)
Portillos is also spreading from IL to other places. Finally those who have left Chicagoland can get a proper Italian Beef, or Chicago dog. Their burgers are good too, but Portillos is more of a sit down and eat joint, rather than a drive-through burger place.
I'm a fan of Culver's as they combine the cleanliness and friendly atmosphere of an In & Out with better food and more variety. They started in Wisconsin, but have expanded to IL, and we have a few now in Florida---- as we have so many Midwestern refugees. (especially in the Winter)
Portillos could have one of the best burgers of all time, and I wouldn't get it because Italian Beef>Burger.
Culvers has recently spread to our area and, eh. I mean, the burgers are pretty good, but they're nothing amazing, and certainly not worth the roughly 50% increase in cost over other fast food places. My kids are addicted to their cheese curds, though.
The secret at Red Robin is to get the chicken sandwiches. The Marco Pollo is my favorite.
I think my current favorite burger from a chain would be BJ'S. Always pretty good.
mtn
MegaDork
6/13/18 1:48 p.m.
Tom_Spangler said:
Culvers has recently spread to our area and, eh. I mean, the burgers are pretty good, but they're nothing amazing, and certainly not worth the roughly 50% increase in cost over other fast food places. My kids are addicted to their cheese curds, though.
Want to know who has the best fast food curds? White Castle. Culvers doesn't even come close, and I'm a Culvers fanboi.
John Welsh said:
Lets get it out of the way first, yeah, McDonalds food will kill you so lets not argue that but...
Recently, I downloaded the McDonalds App for self ordering and I gotta tell ya, the Deals they have on the app are exceptional.
Samples have include:
- Any Breakfast Sandwich for $1. That will get you the $5+ item for $1
- Any Sandwich for $1
- BOGO Quarter LB'er
- Free Large Fry with any purchase of $1 or more
- etc
- There are also some "menu" items in the app that are not on the menu board. As an example, the basic hamburger is $1 and if you were to add just another patty it would be a $1 more. Some locations have a n option on the app for a double hamburger for $1.30
At Micky Dees, you get what you pay for. A one dollar burger isn't food, it's filler.
Mndsm
MegaDork
6/13/18 4:38 p.m.
Joe Gearin said:
If you are ever in Rockford IL, be sure to check out a Beef-A-Roo. It's fast food, but with more variety and quality. They are a chain, but I think just in Rockford at this point. (or Stonechevy if you prefer)
Portillos is also spreading from IL to other places. Finally those who have left Chicagoland can get a proper Italian Beef, or Chicago dog. Their burgers are good too, but Portillos is more of a sit down and eat joint, rather than a drive-through burger place.
I'm a fan of Culver's as they combine the cleanliness and friendly atmosphere of an In & Out with better food and more variety. They started in Wisconsin, but have expanded to IL, and we have a few now in Florida---- as we have so many Midwestern refugees. (especially in the Winter)
Theres ome right down the road from me. They're good, but the fries are severely meh.
Mndsm
MegaDork
6/13/18 4:40 p.m.
mtn said:
Tom_Spangler said:
Culvers has recently spread to our area and, eh. I mean, the burgers are pretty good, but they're nothing amazing, and certainly not worth the roughly 50% increase in cost over other fast food places. My kids are addicted to their cheese curds, though.
Want to know who has the best fast food curds? White Castle. Culvers doesn't even come close, and I'm a Culvers fanboi.
I'm used to cheese curds straight out of an Ellsworth cow into my deep fryer. No one does them that good this far south, save for the time I ran into a retired Wisconsin couple trying up legit Ellsworth curds at the osceola county fair. It was almost worth them being packers fans.
mtn said:
Want to know who has the best fast food curds? White Castle. Culvers doesn't even come close, and I'm a Culvers fanboi.
That's interesting...I've never seen it on the menu here (there's a White Castle just a couple blocks from my house) and I just checked their website and no mention of curds there either. Maybe something special they only serve at your local store?
Cheese curds? Is that a thing? I thought they went out with Little Miss Muffet.
Nick Comstock said:
I think my current favorite burger from a chain would be BJ'S. Always pretty good.
For a guy who would give up sex before burgers, this is contradictory. Or complementary.
1988RedT2 said:
Cheese curds? Is that a thing? I thought they went out with Little Miss Muffet.
Cheese curds are almost a staple in the upper midwest, especially at the state fair. 
Since I love dropping little controversy nuggets into this thread...
Krystal > White Castle don't @ me.
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
I fully agree.
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
I tried Krystal a couple times and they are a sad impression of a White Castle.
Cozy in, Salina Ks, is the best "white castle" style burgers.
